ICC: The Oblique Global Justice System

I have watched with keen interest as Africans become guinea pigs in the global justice system which is well embodied by International Criminal Court of Justice, ICC. Our continent is an easy target and prey in a world riddled with all sort of injustice, while other countries like the superpowers, Middle East countries and others go Scot free.

Figures and statistics have it that majority of those under prosecution at The Hague are Africans. It sure portray us as the only place on earth where crimes or criminals lives. Or someone asked, ‘could it be that we are the black sheep of the world?’ ICC was formed in 2002; it wouldn’t be argued that this should-have-been noble institution has exclusively targeted Africans or developing world leaders for prosecution.

With other countries breaching the laws of ICC, Zimbabwe disregard is soothing. It reflects the deep-seated disgust at ICC’s so-called justice system. I look with anger at gory events happening in other parts of the world and ours which don’t compare. It is for this that allafrica.com and Zimbabwe Herald reported, ‘some war crimes being perpetrated in Africa relatively pales in the shadow of gargantuan crimes being perpetrated daily in Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq yet the ICC remains mum choosing to remain fixated on the “black” continent.’ this rationale points to the mafia state of the world justice system.

So, we have to look at this lopsided justice system and either scrapped it or correct its skewed disposition. Criminal abuses of prisoners of war at Abu Ghraib in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay in Cuba remain there and no one has been punished yet. This makes Rome Statute legally loose and can hardly survive in the face of changing global realities.

I think this is not sustainable no matter how powerful the forces behind ICC, in the long run we will be seeing a different story and an upright justice system. Only putting Africans in focus will worsen perception of this justice body.

In all, international criminal justice is important in both principle and practice. Despite its many failings, the concept of international jurisdiction is a symbolic in the effort for global justice. I think it will continue evolving and a better justice system will be its aftermath.